Multiple Choice
What is the primary role of lenses in microscopy?
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5. Cell Components
Microscopes
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Which was the first "cell" viewed by the light microscope?
A
A human red blood cell
B
An onion epidermal cell
C
A bacterial cell
D
A cork cell
Verified step by step guidance1
Understand the historical context: The first 'cell' observed under a light microscope was by Robert Hooke in 1665. He used a microscope to examine thin slices of cork and described the structures he saw as 'cells' because they resembled small rooms or compartments.
Recognize that cork is derived from the bark of a tree and consists of dead plant cells. These cells have thick cell walls made of cellulose, which were visible under Hooke's microscope.
Note that Hooke's observation was not of living cells but rather the remnants of cell walls in the cork tissue. This discovery laid the foundation for the cell theory, which states that all living organisms are composed of cells.
Compare the other options: Human red blood cells, onion epidermal cells, and bacterial cells were not the first cells observed under a microscope. These were studied later as microscopy technology advanced.
Conclude that the correct answer is 'A cork cell,' as it was the first structure identified and named 'cell' in the history of microscopy.
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